


Cuidado

by PhoenixSong13



Category: Coco (2017)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Happy Ending, Love, M/M, Suicide Attempt, Triggers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 03:04:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17820608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixSong13/pseuds/PhoenixSong13
Summary: When Hector proposes to Imelda, can they survive the fallout?





	Cuidado

**Author's Note:**

> The song is by Ricky Martin. I just thought of them with this one

Cuidado

“Be careful with my heart  
You could break it  
Don't take my love for granted  
Things could change  
Someimes I go insane  
I play the fool and you'll agree  
I'll never be the same  
Without you here with me...”

He was with her again. This was the fourth time this week; they walked hand in hand through Mariachi Plaza or the market. Hector Rivera simply couldn't take his eyes off Imelda Garcia. 

It was really irking Ernesto de la Cruz.

It probably wouldn't have been such a big deal, except that the two men had been lovers for the laat five years. Things had seemed to be going so well and then… there was Imelda. Hector didn't have time for Ernesto anymore but he always found time for her. 

Currently the two tortolitos (lovebirds) were walking through the market, Imelda's arm looped through Hector's. Ernesto was following at a distance, a twisted desire to eavesdrop on them fueling his actions. He knew it was probably a bad idea, but he couldn't help himself. It was the only way to find out anything as Hector didn't hardly talk to him anymore.

The couple segued to the fountain that sat exactly in the middle of the market. Imelda sat down on the edge, smoothing down the skirt of her yellow dress. She smiled up at Hector as he stood in front of her. Ernesto stayed off to the side, still in earshot.

“It's such a beautiful day,” Imelda said, clasping her hands together in her lap. 

Her hair fell over her shoulder in a perfectly plaited braid, a yellow and orange ribbon twisted through it. Her bangs were swept back across her forehead. Even Ernesto had to grudgingly admit she was very pretty and he could see why Hector was enamored. 

“Sí, pero no tan hermosa como tú (Yes, but not as beautiful as you),” Hector replied, reaching out and caressing her cheek. 

Imelda blushed and gave him a warm smile. It completely transformed her; she usually looked so severe. If she was saving these altering smiles for Hector, it was really no wonder why he'd fallen for her.

“You're a charmer, Hector Rivera. I was surprised when you came to see me this morning. Not that I mind,” she added hastily. She reached out to touch his hand. “I always look forward to seeing you.”

Hector sat beside her, clasping that hand between both of his own. He kissed her fingers gently and even Ernesto could sense a nervous excitement coming from him. It worried the broad man.

“Well… I ran into your father last night and we had a long talk. What we talked about .. I couldn't wait anymore…” Hector took a breath, obviously trying to calm himself. 

“What did you two talk about?” Imelda sounded a tiny bit breathless.

Ernesto felt ill. He had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. There was no way…

“I asked him for his permission to ask for your hand in marriage. He gave me hia blessing. So.. Imelda Garcia, would you do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife?” he asked, falling down to his knees in front of her, taking both her hands. 

She teared up and threw her arms around him. Imelda kissed him deeply and it was obvious what her answer was.

“Yes!” she exclaimed as she broke the kiss. “Yes, I'll marry you, querido (dearest)!”

Hector picked her up, spinning her around with a loud grito of joy. She laughed, holding him tightly. It was like a fairy tale and they were getting their happy ending.

Ernesto couldn't handle any more. He tore himself away from the happy scene, stumbling down a back alley, the opposite direction completely. 

He couldn't believe it. Hector had replaced him, had chosen a woman over him. He hadn't even had the decency to tell him first before proposing to her. Where had things gone so wrong?

Ernesto was attentive, loving, supportive. They had plans to go out into the world and play their music together. They had been planning it for years.

Six months ago, Imelda had moved to Santa Cecilia with her parents and twin brothers, Oscar and Felipe. She had made an impression with all of the young men in town, though Ernesto personally thought she was a bit of a frigid bitch. She had cast aside every date request, every interested male… except for Hector.

She had come to one of their performances at the cantina and her eyes never left the slender compositor (songwriter). He brought her out of the crowd to dance and she had kept close to him, a smile on her lips. When the show was over, she had taken his arm and they had spent the night together at a corner table, talking and laughing.

Ernesto should have known then that she would be trouble. She was all Hector talked about the next day, extolling her virtues and regaling Ernesto with all of her witty jokes and candid remarks. She was a spitfire and unafraid of saying what she thought. Hector was in awe of her.

And now, she had stolen him from Ernesto and the man was completely heartbroken. Hector was his everything, had been his everything for so long. His life was so totally entwined in Hector that he had no idea what life could be like without him. 

Ernesto got far enough away from the market that his footsteps finally slowed and he came to a halt in the back alley behind the cantina. His chest heaved as he fought back a wave of nausea that threatened to uphaul everything he had eaten for desayuno (breakfast). 

His back against the wall, he slid down to the ground, burying his face in his hands. He let out a single, broken sob, biting his lip hard to keep from completely losing it. 

It just wasn't fair. What had he ever done to deserve this? He went to church every Sunday, volunteered down at the orphanage when the nuns would ask the community for help. He had always treated Hector with love and respect. He had always done everything he could to make the other man happy. There was nothing okay about this.. 

He suddenly felt pressure on his leg, so light that it was almost imperceptible, but Ernesto knew he felt it. He glanced up to find a small, stray chihuahua gazing up at him. She whimpered and rubbed her head along his arm, her big, velveteen ears perked. She lightly licked his forearm and yipped.

Ernesto sniffled and reached down slowly, scratching behind her ears. She closed her big brown eyes and enjoyed the attention. Ernesto chuckled.

“Did you sense I was upset, mi mascota (my pet)?” She made a soft whining sound that he took as an affirmative. “Are you trying to cheer me up?”

She barked and clambered up into his lap, stepping on his chest so she could lick his face. He laughed, his hands coming up to encircle around her little body. She nuzzled him and kept close to him.

As he scratched her belly, he let out a soft breath. He couldn't change Hector's mind, he knew that. That was one trait he'd gotten from his father, a certain level of pigheadedness. When he made up his mind about something, he was immoveable. 

He looked down at the tiny dog in his arms and asked, “What do you think I should do, perrita (puppy)? I would welcome some good advice…”

The chihuahua whined and buried her face in his chest. He chuckled sadly and held her close.

“I wish I could hide away… At least one of us can…”

Ernesto closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall. He closed his eyes and let a single tear slide down his cheek.

This heartache was just too much to bear.

“Cuidado (please be careful)  
Con mi corazón  
Me siento algo desnudo  
Cuidado (please be careful)  
Es mi corazón  
Mi corazón…”

Hector was walking home after leaving Imelda at her house. He was on cloud nine, excitement in his heart. He was going to be a husband to a beautiful woman. 

He whistled, his hands in his pockets as he walked down the street. He was tired though elated. He headed for the front of his house, ready for bed. The sooner he got to sleep, the sooner he would see her again. 

“Señor Rivera! Ay, Señor Rivera!” called a voice behind him. 

He turned to see Ernesto's oldest sobrina (niece) Carmen running up to him. She slowed to a halt in front of him, her breath ragged. She reached out and took his hand.

“You have to come with me to the cantina ahora (now)!” she exclaimed, lightly tugging to get him to follow her.

He was very confused. “What? Why?”

Carmen gave him a pained look. “It's Tio Ernesto. He's drunk and threatening to beat up every man in the cantina. Mama can't calm him down and abuelo y abuelita (Grandpa and Grandma) aren't here… Please, Señor Rivera. You're our only hope.”

Hector groaned inwardly. Ernesto had two different levels of drunkness. If he was only a little drunk, he was everyone's best friend. When he'd gone beyond his limit, he was the biggest, most angry asshole you could ever meet. Hector really hated the second one; it reminded him of his late father too much.

“Your Mama should have cut him off a while back,” he said, hurrying along beside the ten year old girl.

Carmen shot him a sideways glance. “He was pouring himself drinks when she wasn't looking.”

Well that explained a lot. Graciela knew her brother's limits. If he was serving himself, he didn't know when to quit. That was a recipe for disaster if ever Hector had heard of one.

It didn't take them long to get to the cantina and Hector could hear Ernesto from outside. As he went through the swinging doors, Ernesto's sister Graciela grabbed his arm.

“Thank God you're here. He's being loco and no one can get him to calm down. He was scaring Carmen. Do you think you can talk him down?” she asked quietly.

“I can try, Graciela,” he responded honestly.

The truth was, he hadn't really spent much time with the other man recently. He’d been spending all of his free time with Imelda. He wasn't sure Ernesto would be too pleased to see him. But he would try his hardest to diffuse the situation. 

He stepped forward, parting the crowd as he did. As he came to the middle of the room, he was greeted by Ernesto's broad back. The older man stumbled, his fists in the air.

“I c'n take all o’ ya cabrones (fuckers) with one hand behind m’ back! C'mon, ya cowards!” he slurred out, nearly tripping over his own feet.

A few people in the crowd laughed and that only served to piss Ernesto off more. He spun around, looking around wildly.

“Who did that?! Fight me like a man!” 

Hector shook his head and stepped up behind him. He reached out, touching his shoulder carefully. 

“Ernesto, cálmate (calm yourself).… No one wants to fight you...” he said in a placating tone, one that usually worked on the other man.

Ernesto's shoulders tensed and Hector had a fleeting moment of fear as Ernesto spun to face him. His eyes were fierce and a little bloodshot. When they focused on Hector, they narrowed. He wasn't happy to see him.

“What're you doing here, pendejo (idiot)? Shouldn't you be with your prometida (fiancee)?” he sneered, lurching a little unsteadily.

Hector's eyes widened a little. How did he know? He had just barely asked her this afternoon… Was that the reason for his drinking binge?

“I don't know how you know about that, but I'm here now because you are out of control, Ernesto. This behavior is not acceptable… You're making a fool out of yourself,” Hector replied, his hands on his hips. 

Ernesto snorted, a very undignified sound. “What do you care what I do? 'm not your concern 'nymore.”

“Ernesto, Graciela is concerned and you're scaring Carmen. Is this how you want her to see her uncle? Do you want her to see you acting crazy?” 

This seemed to make the older man take pause. He glanced around the room until his eyes fell on his niece, who was hiding behind her mother. She was watching him with a fearful expression. This took all the fight out of Ernesto.

His nieces and nephews meant everything to him. Carmen was very special as she was his first niece. Her opinion of him mattered so very much to him. He never wanted to frighten her.

He sagged a little and Hector caught him, getting under him. He moved the broader man's arm over his shoulder and started heading for the door slowly. Ernesto cooperated for the most part, albeit shakily.

As they moved past Graciela, she patted her brother on the back. Carmen peeked out from behind her, catching her uncle's eye.

“Lo siento, mi ángelita (I'm sorry, my little angel). I didn't mean to scare you,” he mumbled, reaching out and touching her face gently.

She leaned into his touch and smiled softly. “It's okay, Tio Ernesto. Go home and sleep. Things will be better tomorrow.”

He gave her a tremulous smile in return and kissed her forehead before allowing Hector to pull him out into the cool night air. Once they had walked a good distance away from the cantina, however, Ernesto pushed Hector away from him. 

“I c'n make it home without your help, Rivera. Go home so you c’n get ready to play house with Imelda,” he growled out, turning away from the thinner man.

“What is your problem, Ernesto? How did you find out about me and Imelda?” Hector demanded, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Ernesto paused, swaying a little. His fists clenched at his sides and he spoke sharply despite his inebriated state. 

“I saw you walking with her through the market and I followed you. I heard the proposal.” He turned back to face Hector and there was anger and hurt in his eyes. “You want to know what my problem is? It's you. You couldn't even be bothered to tell me you didn't want to be with me anymore. I had to find out by eavesdropping! Here I was, thinking things were going so well only to discover you replaced me with some woman!”

Hector stepped back at the vehemence in his voice. Ernesto moved toward him, his eyes blazing. 

“Er--Ernesto… things change… It can't be helped…” Hector started as he backed into a post.

“Maybe they change for you, but not for me! I gave up girls for you! You told me you wanted me to show you the depth of my love for you and I did it! You swore nothing would take you from me and yet, here we are! Were your promises given so lightly? Was I nothing more than a game to pass the time?!” Ernestine voice was steadily raising in volume and a few people were peeking out of windows curiously.

“¡ Cállate, estúpido! (Quiet down, stupid!) Do you want everyone to know our business?!” the slimmer man hissed, glancing around in a panic.

They weren't far from Imelda's house. All he needed was for her and her father to hear the kerfuffle and come to investigate. His engagement to her would be over the same day it began if they found out about him and Ernesto. 

The broader man sneered and got closer, very nearly pinning Hector to the post. He got in the slimmer man's personal space.

“What's the matter? Are you afraid she might find out some things you've been keeping secret? Or the town might find out the bedfellow you've been entertaining the past five years? I could ruin your life, Rivera…”

Hector shoved Ernesto away from him, disgust on his face. He jabbed a finger in the other man's chest.

“It would ruin yours too, gilipollas (dickhead). It takes two to tango!”

Ernesto smacked his hand away, scoffing. “It would be worth it to see your plans to play familia (family) with your whore crumble at your feet--”

He didn't see Hector's fist fly until it connected with his jaw, sending him sprawling backwards. He stumbled into a fence, barely keeping himself upright.

“Don't you ever call her that, you bastard! Say what you want about me but leave her out of this!” Hector exclaimed, outrage apparent in his voice.

Ernesto came back swinging, his own fist connecting with Hector's eye. There was much more brute force in his punch and Hector went down, not having the body weight to keep him upright.

“This has everything to do with her, pendejo! If she hadn't come here--!”

Hector kicked out, solidly striking Ernesto in the shin. The broader man fell, clutching his leg. He had broken his leg there as a kid and the bone had healed a little offset, so that was a weak point and Hector knew it. 

“She's worth ten of you!” he screamed, lunging on top of him. “She's everything you're not and I'm damn grateful for that!”

The two men fought for dominance, punching and hitting any plans they could reach as they rolled around in the dirt. By now they had a large audience, with Graciela heading the charge. While everyone else whooped and hollered, egging Hector and Ernesto on, she was trying to break them up.

“Boys! Enough! Quit hitting each other!” she yelled, reaching to grab Ernesto by the shirt.

He paid her no mind, pulling free of her grasp, both his hands around Hector's throat. Hector's leg came up, quite effectively catching him in the cajones (balls) and he yelped, shoving away from the thinner man. 

“Oh, you bastard!” he wheezed, the pain making his eyes water.

Hector gasped for air, rubbing his neck where Ernesto's hands had been. He pushed himself up onto his knees, ready to lunge at him again.

“Hector! What are you doing, brawling in the street?! Such behavior!” came a new voice, full of admonition and reproach.

Both men looked up to see Imelda standing there, her hands on her hips. She gave them both a fierce look and Hector glanced down, shame on his face. Ernesto simply glared as he stood up. 

He brushed himself off and turned to look at Hector, who had also gotten to his feet. His eye was beginning to purple and Ernesto felt a small swell of pride at his own handiwork.

“You want to marry her? Fine. That's your choice.” He began to walk past Imelda, who glared up at him. He laughed humorlessly. “Una puta se merece otra (One whore deserves another).”

He made to walk away, the outraged expression on Imelda's face a balm to his wounded soul. Hector's voice made him pause.

“If you walk away from me now, it's over between us. I mean it, Ernesto.”

The older man stood stock still, absorbing those words. He closed his eyes and let out a breath before responding. 

“It's been over between us for months, Hector. The difference now is that I know where I stand.” 

With that, he left the crowd behind, and a shocked and battered Hector in his wake.

“Be careful with my heart  
You could break it  
Don't take my love for granted  
Things could change  
Sometimes I go insane  
I play the fool and you'll agree  
I'll never be the same   
Without you here with me…”

It had been a week since the fight and Hector's eye had finally gone back to normal. He had been sore for three days and had barely been able to move 

Imelda had taken care of him, all the while voicing her displeasure at her fiance fighting in the street and being called a whore. Hector had apologized so many times that it had become like a mantra. 

Tonight, he was having supper with her and her family to celebrate their engagement. They had wanted to do it sooner but Hector had wanted to heal up before facing her father. 

It was supposed to be a joyous night, with dancing, food, and drinking… and all he could think about was Ernesto.

He had a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach and he didn't like it. The last time he had had this feeling about the other man, they had been kids. Ernesto had been playing on the boulders by the manzana (apple) tree and had fallen, breaking his leg.

He'd been there by himself for three hours. Hector had had a sick feeling about his friend and had gone looking for him. Sure enough, he was injured and in need of help.

The feeling he was having now was stronger than back then.

He was so caught up in thoughts about Ernesto that he didn't even realize Imelda was talking to him. She reached out and touched his face and he jumped a little. She clicked her tongue. 

“Where are you, querido? You seem a thousand miles away,” she said, taking his hand.

He gave her a sheepish look. “Lo siento. Not that far away. Just across town…”

Imelda frowned. “You're not thinking about that culo (ass), are you? After what he said…”

“He was drunk and hurt… I can't blame him for that. I've been a terrible best friend lately. I have a bad feeling about him…” Hector replied, his voice full of concern.

“Well, you two had a pretty explosive fight. I would imagine that might cause some bad feelings…”

He shook his head. “This is different. I feel like he's in trouble. The last time I felt this way, he was injured…”

Imelda searched his face and realized how serious he was. She wasn't a fan of Ernesto de la Cruz, but she could sense that Hector wanted to go make sure he was alright. She loved Hector and knew Ernesto was part of the package when she started seeing him. 

She cupped Hector's face and kissed him gently. “Go. Make sure he's okay.”

He gave her a surprised look. “Are you sure? The party…”

She smiled. “I'll make your excuses. I know you won't be able to focus on anything until you know so go on.”

Hector kissed her deeply. “Muchas gracias (Thank you very much). I'm a lucky man.”

She walked with him to the door and gave him an impish grin. “Yes, you are. And don't you forget it.”

Hector laughed and pecked her on the cheek as he headed out. He waved to her as he set off towards the cantina.

She stood against the door frame, watching him go. She sighed.

“And Ernesto de la Cruz is a lucky man too.”

************************

Hector made his way to the cantina. He hoped beyond hope that Ernesto was just getting drunk again and it was a false alarm.

He went inside and made his way to the bar. Graciela was pouring drinks and Ernesto was nowhere to be seen. She shot Hector a rather dirty look.

“Graciela, where's Ernesto?” he called above the noise in the cantina.

“Why? You two want to make fools out of yourselves some more?” she asked, her hand on her hip.

He let out a breath. He probably deserved the heat in her voice, but he was a man on a mission and he'd deal with her anger later.

“I have a bad feeling, Graciela… like the last time.”

This brought her up short. She was there when Hector had had his premonition all those years ago. She remembered how he had gotten help for her brother. Ernesto would have lain there much longer, exposed to the elements and wild animals, if Hector hadn't had that feeling. .

“He's at home… He was acting kind of strangely earlier…” Now she looked concerned. “Please check on him…”

Hector nodded. “I'm on my way. Thank you, Graciela.”

He headed out the door and started towards the de la Cruz home. He wanted to find Ernesto playing his guitar in his room or raiding the despensa (larder). But he really didn't think he would be that lucky. Something was really off.

He got to the front door and could faintly hear what sounded like barking coming from inside the house. He frowned, confusion creasing his brow. The de la Cruzes didn't have a dog. 

He knocked on the door, waiting for a moment to see if he was going to be answered. He knocked again.

“Ernesto! I know you probably don't want to see me, but please answer the door!” he called, waiting with bated breath.

When there was no answer, he put his hand on the door handle and opened it. The house was dark and now he was sure he heard a dog barking from within. In fact, if he had to hazard a guess, he would say it was coming from Ernesto's room.

He moved through the house carefully, a little disoriented in the dark. As he got to the back of the house, he could see that Ernesto's door was cracked and his lamp was burning. The barking dog was in there and Hector could see that it was a little chihuahua. It seemed to be looking up at something and yipping nervously.

He tried again. “Ernesto…? Are you in there...?”

He got no response and moved forward. His heart was in his throat as his palm met the surface of the bedroom door and he slowly pushed it open.

The door opened on a scene that he would remember for the rest of his days.

Ernesto hung by his neck from a beam in the ceiling. Under him, his desk chair lay on its side, a sign that it had been kicked out from under him. The wood of the beam creaked under his weight as he hung still. His face was red, though his lips were blue-ish. 

Hector let out a small scream, his hands flying up to his mouth. He stared at the scene in horror, not wanting to believe what he was seeing.

The chihuahua came up to him, barking and tugging at his pant leg. It propelled him into action, with him grabbing up Ernesto's knife from where it sat on his nightstand. He must have used it to prepare the rope. Hector stood the chair up and climbed onto it, reaching up and sawing at the threads of his noose.

As he cut through the last bit of it, Ernesto dropped, hitting the floor pretty hard. Hector leaped off the chair, dropping to the floor beside him. His long fingers scrabbled at the tight knot, tugging at it until it finally slid free.

“No me hagas esto, bastardo… (Don't do this to me, you bastard)! Don't you dare leave me…!” he exclaimed, tears threatening to fall as he hurriedly checked to see if he was breathing.

To his great relief, he found Ernesto's chest rising slowly and picking up speed. His face wasn't as ruddy and his lips were losing their blue tinge. Hector thanked God for Ernesto's thick neck. It had probably saved him from breaking it.

The tiny chihuahua had her front paws on Ernesto's shoulder, her tail wagging excitedly. When Ernesto let out a groan, she barked and started licking his face.

“S--Solana?” he croaked out, reaching up to pull her away from his face gently.

“Oh is that her name?” Hector asked shakily, pulling the small dog away from him. “She knew something was wrong too.”

Ernesto's eyes snapped open and they found Hector, who was petting Solana to give his hands something to do. Their eyes met and Ernesto could see how visibly upset Hector was. He was shaking and the broad man could see unshed tears threatening to fall.

“What are you doing here?” His voice was hoarse and he tried to clear his throat.

Hector didn't answer right away. Instead, he stood and went to where a pitcher of water sat on Ernesto's desk, pouring some into a glass. He returned, propping Ernesto's head on his knees and helping him to drink.

Once Ernesto's hoarse throat was taken care of, Hector spoke. “I've had a bad feeling about you all night. I couldn't get you off my mind. Graciela said you were acting strangely so I came to check on you…”

Ernesto looked up at the ceiling and saw that the rope had been cut. He looked back at Hector.

“You cut me down… Hector…”

“Of course I cut you down! Solana kept barking and grabbed my pant leg like she knew you weren't dead yet so I cut you down. What the hell were you thinking, idiota?!” he exploded, his emotion finally getting the better of him.

Ernesto looked away, unable to meet his friend's piercing gaze. He bit his bottom lip before slowly letting out a breath. 

“I was thinking that I had lost you for good. After what I said to you and Imelda the other night, I knew I messed up. You told me if I walked away from you, it was over. I walked away…”

“That doesn't mean I want you dead, Ernesto! I still love you!”

Ernesto turned his head back, gazing up at him in disbelief. After everything, how could he still love him? Hector's eyes softened as they stared at one another. He reached down and stroked Ernesto's cheek gently.

“How can you still love me? I called both you and Imelda whores…”

Hector chuckled softly. “Not one of your best moments, I'll admit. Imelda is still rather upset about it. But I brought it on myself. I've been neglecting you, amado (beloved). I don't think I can apologize enough for that… You were drunk and angry and hurt… And you had every right to be.”

Ernesto's eyes closed and he swallowed thickly. He reached up blindly, finding Hector's cheek and caressing it. The thinner man leaned over him and kissed his lips tenderly, cupping his face. 

When they parted, Hector whispered, “Don't you ever do that again, you hear me? You took years off my life, you jerk.”

Ernesto combed his fingers through Hector's hair, pressing a kiss to his chin. He sat up after a moment and took Hector's hands.

“I won't… I'm sorry for everything , Hector. I just… I felt like I'd completely lost you… I have nothing without you,” Ernesto told him, looking down at their hands.

“I never intended to hurt you like that. I just got so caught up in romancing her that I forgot that I had you. I don't want us to be over, but I want a family… So we're going to have to compromise…”

Ernesto sat back against his nightstand. It made him happy to know Hector still wanted a relationship with him, but it felt strange to think about sharing his songwriter with Imelda. Still, things looked a lot better now that they were talking. It maybe wasn't the most ideal of situations, but it was better than nothing.

“I get you Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, along with some holidays for at least half the day. She gets you the rest of the time, which I think is quite generous,” he said, levity coloring his voice.

Hector laughed. “¿Crees que sí? (You think so?) Well, I think so too.” He sobered up and leaned forward. “Though for a while, I'm going to be spending a lot of time with you. You really did scare me, 'Nesto.”

Ernesto reached out and pulled Hector against him. He kissed him deeply, his arms wrapped tight around his middle. Hector leaned back against his chest, feeling his heart beat through his shirt. 

“I'm glad you found me in time, cariño (sweetheart). I'm sorry for being selfish,” Ernesto said as they broke the kiss. 

Hector shook his head. “You weren't selfish. I was cruel to you. You reacted to that. I'm going to make it up to you, I promise.” 

“I know one way you can start…”

Ernesto pulled him to his feet as he stood, shutting the door as he did. He hungrily kissed his beloved, maneuvering him back towards the bed as he did so. He lowered Hector to the mattress, never breaking their liplock.

They undressed each other slowly, savoring the uncovering of flesh. Hector kept pressing kisses to his throat and Ernesto understood the meaning. He was thankful that Ernesto was alive and that rope hadn't ended everything. It made the broader man's heart soar.

They made love like it was the first time, exploring each other, touching and tasting flesh that was both familiar and yet like new territory. It had been five months since they had been intimate and it felt simultaneously new and comfortable. 

Ernesto put everything he had into making love to Hector, the other man's moans and gasps a symphony in his ears. He was grateful to be alive, to be able to do this. Having his lover wrapped around him once again was as close to heaven as he'd ever felt.

Hector spread himself open for Ernesto and murmured that only the broad man knew him like this. He rose and fell beneath Ernesto, his body attuned to the other man. There was no other feeling like it in the world.

Later, as they lay together, sated and warm, Solana jumped up between them and settled in the covers. She yawned and laid her head on Ernesto's thigh, her body on Hector's hip.

“She's so cute. Where did you find her?” Hector asked, scratching behind her ears. 

“Actually, she found me. I was upset after hearing you propose to Imelda and she tried to cheer me up. She's been with me since.” Ernesto looked thoughtful. “She doesn't really like anyone else, but she seems to like you.”

Hector smiled. “Maybe she knows I love you.”

“Maybe so.” Ernesto kissed his forehead. “Get some sleep. We'll figure things out tomorrow.”

Hector snuggled against his shoulder, kissing his collarbone gently. “Te quiero muchísimo (I love you so much). Please don't ever leave me…”

“Nunca, cariño (Never, sweetheart). I promise. Sleep well. I'll be here when you wake up.”

As Hector drifted off, Ernesto counted his blessings. He was alive, Hector was in his arms, and life looked much brighter than earlier in the day. Ernesto found that he was happy, even with the prospect of sharing his songwriter with Imelda. It wasn't a bad proposition, it just meant they would have to be doubly sneaky now.

The night wore on and the two men and a tiny little chihuahua slept peacefully together into the dawn. 

“Cuidado (please be careful)  
Con mi corazón,  
Cariño no me lastimes  
Cuidado (please be careful)  
Es mi corazón  
Mi corazón…”

It was the day of the wedding and it seemed that the entire town had shown up. The vows had already been made, rings exchanged, and now it was a grand fiesta (party) in Mariachi Plaza. There was food, alcohol, and dancing.

Ernesto stood against a wall in his best white charro suit, having been el mejor hombre (the best man). He was watching Hector dance with his new esposa (wife), a look of pure joy on his face.

It was a little bittersweet to Ernesto, but he was genuinely happy for his friend. In the three months since Hector had saved his life, they had had many long discussions about Imelda and how she made Hector feel. There was love between them and Hector wanted to start a family with her. Ernesto knew he couldn't fulfill that desire so he accepted Imelda's presence now with dignity. He hadn't spent much time with her, but she no longer sparked that wave of jealousy like before.

He watched her excuse herself from Hector and head over to the table where Graciela was serving drinks. She took a glass of wine, sipping it as she turned to look around at her guests. Her eyes fell on Ernesto and their gazes locked. To his surprise, she started walking in his direction.

“What is Ernesto de la Cruz doing standing by the wall? I'm sure there are several pretty girls who would love to dance with you,” she said when she reached him, a smile on her lips.

Ernesto half shrugged. “I like to people watch. It's more fun sometimes,” he responded, smiling back at her.

She chuckled. “True enough. I've been watching my brothers and they're already completamente borracho (completely drunk) and none of the girls will dance with them. It's entertaining.”

Ernesto grinned. “Señor Hernandez has been getting rather touchy with Hector's sister, Llesenia, and her husband looks like he'd love to lay him out.”

They stood for a while, watching the crowd together. Imelda set her drink down after a time and turned to him. 

“Dance with me, Señor de la Cruz. You would honor me,” she said, holding out her hand.

Ernesto hesitated for a moment. He wasn't sure this was a great idea. But her smile was genuine and he found he really had no reason not to dance with her.

He took her hand and led her to the middle of the plaza. She followed him easily and they fell into step together quickly and fluidly. He twirled her around and she laughed, obviously enjoying herself. It made Ernesto's heart feel light. 

As the dance slowed down, he found his arm around her waist, her hand in his. They swayed together and she looked up at him, her eyes soft 

“Ernesto, I want you to know that I'm aware of your and Hector's… relationship,” she said slowly, as though afraid it might upset the man.

Ernesto missed a step as surprise registered on his face. He recovered well enough, falling back into rhythm with her.

“You do? And you're not disgusted?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

“I won't lie, it did make me a little uncomfortable at first. The more I've thought about it, however, the more I realize it's just another facet of Hector that I need to accept.”

They were both quiet for a long moment. Ernesto was digesting this information and finding that he was actually quite glad that she knew. It made things easier. She even seemed to be alright with it and that was even better.

“How did you find out? Did he tell you?” 

Imelda shook her head. “I figured it out between the night you called us both whores and the night he found you trying to kill yourself “

Oh, she knew about that. He cringed and made a mental note to strangle Hector later on for telling her about his suicide attempt. 

“Imelda, I'm sorry for saying those things to you… I was drunk and…”

She waved her hand dismissively and gave him a look. “I forgave you for that once I realized you and he were more than friends. It made sense why you acted that way. My point in telling you that I know is that I want to call a truce.”

“¿Una tregua? What kind?” he inquired, a little bemused by this turn of events.

“Well… I don't mind sharing him if you don't. I know he loves both of us so there's no fear of him running off with you or with me. I'd like us to try and be friends. This will go more smoothly if we like each other.” Her eyes were sincere and earnest.

Ernesto found that he was in complete agreement with her. It was kind of a strange situation, but it didn't have to be awkward or strained. They were adults, after all. This could work out fine.

He nodded, feeling a weight lifting off his shoulders. “You're right. I'm willing to give this a try. It could work out quite well.”

She looked extremely relieved and her smile became much wider. She hugged him and Ernesto chuckled, hugging her back.

He felt a tap on his shoulder and glanced to his left. Imelda's father was standing there, an amused smile on his face.

“Mind if I cut in?” he asked.

“Not at all, Señor Garcia. She's all yours,” he said, releasing Imelda into her father's waiting arms.

“We'll talk more later, Ernesto,” she told him before her father whirled her away.

“You'll talk more about what?” came Hector's voice behind him.

Ernesto turned to his friend and looked him over. He had chosen a regular suit that was finely tailored to his thin frame. The high collar made him look distinguished. The cinched waist of the coat caused him to cut quite a striking figure. He looked gorgeous.

Ernesto chuckled. “That's quite a woman you married. She's full of surprises.”

Hector gave him a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”

Ernesto waved his hand to have Hector follow him. He led him to a little alcove that was currently uninhabited. They faced each other and Ernesto let out a breath.

“You look muy guapo, cariño (very handsome, sweetheart). That suit does you justice,” he told him quietly, moving in to kiss by Hector's ear. To anyone who might be looking, it would appear that Ernesto was whispering to him. 

Hector turned a little red and glanced around, but no one was paying them any mind. He smiled and murmured back, 

“Gracias. You look rather fetching yourself. But we were talking about Imelda?”

Ernesto played with the chain of the pocket watch that dangled from Hector's right pocket. He kept fairly close to the other man so he wouldn't have to speak too loudly.

“She knows about us, Hector. She knows and she'd okay with it,” Ernesto told him evenly.

The thinner man gave him a startled look. “¡¿Qué?! ¿En serio? (What?! Are you serious?)”

Ernesto nodded. “She told me that herself. She's willing to share you with me… and she wants to be friends…”

Hector stared at the broader man and let out a low whistle. “Orale…”

They watched as Imelda and her father spun past. Hector waved and she waved back as she was swept away. She also waved to Ernesto, who laughed and waved to her. 

“I guess it worked itself out then…” Hector said, kind of relieved that he didn't have to hide his relationship with Ernesto from his wife. “We can still be together.”

“Yes, we can. I was wrong about her. She's wonderful, Hector. She's a fine woman,” Ernesto said sincerely. “I'm sorry for how I acted without knowing her.”

Hector shrugged and smiled. “We all make mistakes. You're only human, amado.”

Before Ernesto could reply, Imelda was suddenly between them, each arm looped through one of theirs. She smiled and led them towards the alcohol table. 

“¡ Mis muchachos! (My boys!) Let's see which of us can hold their liquor best! I promise to give you both a run for your money!” she exclaimed, a mischievous look on her face and a playful twinkle in her eye.

As they each took up a glass of tequila, Ernesto spoke up.

“First, a toast. To relationships and friendships old and new. I look forward to the future.”

Hector and Imelda touched their glasses to his and they began their little contest. One thing was for certain; their lives would never be boring as long as it was the three of them. And Ernesto was okay with that math.

“If I could reach out to you  
Nothing will stop me  
Take your head in my hands  
Tell me what would you do  
Kiss your eyes, sing you to sleep  
Your voice sounds like a lullaby  
Here's my heart, this time to keep  
Here's my heart to keep…”

FIN


End file.
